In recent years, use of mobile communications devices for voice telephone services, email or text messaging services and even multi-media services has become commonplace, among mobile professionals and throughout the more general consumer population. Mobile service provided through public cellular or PCS (personal communication service) type networks, particularly for voice telephone service, has become virtually ubiquitous across much of the world. The rapid expansion of such mobile communication services has resulted in deployment of a variety of different and often incompatible wireless network technologies, in different jurisdictions or regions and in some cases as competing services within the same area. A large carrier may operate its network over a wide geographic area and have roaming agreements with operators of other compatible technology networks in other areas. However, occasions still arise in which a service technology of a home network may not be available in a visited area or region into which a customer roams and intends to use her mobile device. The service provider may utilize a different technology in a different area or country, or more often, networks of other operators in other region utilizing alternative technology. To allow continued operation in regions where the local provider offers service via a different technology, station manufactures have developed dual or multi mode mobile devices, which have the capability of communicating via two or more wireless mobile technologies.
Hence, global devices that use 3GPP2 type CDMA technologies (1XRTT and EVDO) are also required to operate in networks that support 3GPP technologies (GSM/UMTS/LTE). This is necessary because in many countries around the world CDMA is not deployed. One example would be European countries where a CDMA device would have no coverage at all. In addition, there are many countries, e.g., China and India, where both 3GPP2 and 3GPP based networks exist with extensive coverage.
To facilitate customer roaming where a particular operator may not have network coverage, the service provider or operator of one network will have agreements with other operators/service providers. Under such agreements, customers of the other operators may roam-in and use the one provider's network, whereas customers of the one provider may roam-out and use the networks of the other operators/service providers. As a result of the differences in network technologies and the availability of multimode mobile devices, there may be roaming agreements with operators providing the two different technologies.
3GPP variants of the mobile devices utilize a Subscriber Identity Module or “SIM” card (called UICC in the 3GPP standards documents—universal integrated circuit card). Such a case provides secure storage for various data needed for operation of a mobile station, such as data identifying the mobile device to the network (e.g. MDN and/or MIN). However, the SIM card is a standardized removable module that can be moved from one mobile device to another, to effectively move the subscriber identity from one device to another.
For a mobile device conforming to CDMA technology standard, the credentials of the subscriber traditionally are stored on the mobile device instead of on the SIM card. The CDMA variant of the mobile devices often use an R-UIM/CSIM which is an internal memory module of the mobile device to store various data needed for operation of the mobile device, such as data identifying the subscriber and the mobile device to the network (e.g. MDN, PRL, MIN, secure information). The concept of UICC cards were introduced at the very latest stage in the current development of CDMA technology. As such, many of the CDMA operators are still using models of the mobile devices without a UICC for CDMA.
With these operators moving to 3GPP technology, a UICC card is mandatory to access the network. Hence with dual mode (3GPP-CDMA) devices there are two options for accessing both CDMA and 3GPP technologies: (1) use the device UIM for CDMA access technologies credentials and UICC (e.g., SIM/USIM) for 3GPP access technologies credentials or (2) use removable UICC with R-UIM/CSIM in the device for CDMA and UICC card for 3GPP to access both the technologies. In the first scenario, the CDMA credential of the subscriber is stored in the memory (e.g., UIM) of the mobile device and the 3GPP credential of the subscriber is stored in the UICC card. This scenario may result in having two mobile devices with a single account. For example, a UICC card of a first mobile device may be inserted into a second mobile device. Inserting a UICC card of the first mobile device into the second mobile device will result in transfer of 3GPP credentials, which is stored in the UICC card, to the second mobile device. However, the CDMA credentials of the first mobile device, which is stored in the memory of the first mobile device, continues to remain on the first mobile device. The first mobile device has the otherwise valid credentials and is still operable at least in old CDMA technology networks. The second mobile device has the same credentials and fully operable in all network technologies.
As such, there occurs a fraud condition with the same active credential of a user on two different devices. That is, both the first and second mobile devices may be provisioned and used with the same phone number or the like without informing the network operator. For example, the first mobile device may work in the CDMA network and the second mobile device may work in the 3GPP network with the same number.
In the second scenario, the credentials of the subscriber are stored on two separate chips (e.g., UICC with CSIM in the device and UICC card). The UICC with CSIM stores CDMA credentials of the subscriber; whereas, the UICC card stores 3GPP credentials of the subscriber. As such, transferring both cards from one mobile device to another may result in full transfer of subscriber account from one device to another. That is, since the CDMA credentials are not stored on the device itself, when the SIM cards are transferred, so is the credentials of the subscriber. As such, the fraud situation described above may be avoided.
The problem with second solution, however, is that many CDMA operators are using model devices without a UICC card and, as such, the solution would not cover many mobile devices that do not have a UICC card and/or are not configured to receive a UICC card.
Hence, for mobile devices that store CDMA credential on the device itself, there is a need for additional security infrastructures to counter attack this fraud condition. In particular, there is a need for a method that minimizes the fraud condition and/or enhances user experience when switching from one dual mode CDMA-3GPP device to another.